Forum	Title	Content	Member	Sex	Country	Date/Time
Asia: East and Pacific	Double Whammy Pink Slips!	That's great new! James, it sounds like Mai had the same CO as Thi, a young handsome American.....His questions and not caring to see much evidence is similar.... Congratulations to both of you! We hope all of you are having a great time! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-09 14:12:00
Asia: East and Pacific	time line review	Rodney It looks good. I would add dates to the entries of the check, etc. I think it's best to have as complete as timeline as possible. That way the Consulate can look to see the evidence but they already know what it says and don't have to figure things out for themselves. For Example, Visa stamps dated xx/xx/xx arrival, xx/xx/xx departure. Here's a link to part of my timeline for my September trip to see Thi last year. Scroll down to my posting and see if that helps you complete your revised timeline. http://www.visajourn...h...=124611&hl= Good luck! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-12 13:42:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Police certificate	QUOTE (ILoveTan @ May 5 2008, 07:23 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Jack & Xuan @ May 5 2008, 06:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Can you e-mail me a copy of your time line. I have not done one and it looks like i may need to get that done. I figure that I would just put something in a format on word and email it to Xuan for my part. If you have any advice on this please let me know. Thanks That makes 2 of us... I would also really like to see an example of a timeline. Maybe we should ask the master: PETER - got a timeline you can post? ILOVETAN Thuy Here's the link the one I posted earlier http://www.visajourn...h...=124611&hl= You'll have to scroll down to it. Hmmmm Another VJ Wiki page? Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-05 22:07:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Police certificate	QUOTE (violet18ac3 @ May 5 2008, 06:53 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Thanks Peter. My fiance had to do another one. One week to go and talk about stress here. I hope others when obtain their PC, make sure it's the one like Peter posted. I have to send a timeline relationship tomorrow morning (Fedex 3 days). Do you guys think it'll make there by this week? Anybody going to VN this week? I don't trust mailing in VN at all. Thanks You're welcome. Glad to help. Sorry that you have to get another one. I remember what it was like before before Thi's interview, so I sympathize with you. As to FedEx, I'm sure it will arrive in Vietnam in 3 days but whether or not it gets to your fiancee before her interview, I'm not so sure. I sent several things to Thi and they all took longer than they were suppose to. Why not scan it and email it? She can go to an Internet store and print it if she doesn't have a printer. That way she'll have it for sure at the interview. If the Consulate wants to see the original she can bring it later when it actually arrives if it comes after her interview and they want to see it. Good Luck Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26 Edited by PeterFB, 05 May 2008 - 03:10 PM.	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-05 15:09:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Police certificate	QUOTE (violet18ac3 @ May 4 2008, 08:09 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Her PC doesn't say PHIEU LY LICH TU PHAP. She obtained it from Dong Nai. Cost her around 200,000 VND ( i think). The form says that this person has never commit crime, no jail time.........but no where on the form it's mentioning PHIEU LY LICH TU PHAP. It's gonna cost me $300. For the translation part, they wanted to have her birth certificate and some other form to translate to English. I dont remember exactly which other form. I'll call her again tonight to make sure. Thanks guys. If her form is from the local police or Department of Justice in her local district as listed in her family's Ho Khau (household registration book) and it says what you say it does then it should be ok. Are you sure about the Packet 3/4 requiring translations? Unless they changed thier minds since February (when we had our interview) and haven't updated their website, the USCIS/NVC requires translations in the US but not HCMC Consulate. Here's the PC that we got and submitted for Thi's interview.  PoliceCert.jpg   88.45KB   40 downloads Hope this helps you. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-05 01:28:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Police certificate	QUOTE (violet18ac3 @ May 3 2008, 08:04 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (Tyrobe @ May 3 2008, 07:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (violet18ac3 @ May 3 2008, 05:11 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Hello, Can any of you guys able to scan and pm me a copy of your Police certificate? I'd like to see what's the form look like. Apparently, my fiance obtained the wrong PC ( as I was told by someone), and it's gonna cost me $300 to obtain a new one in just 1 week. My fiance interview is coming up a week from this Monday. Really appreciate if you can help. Thanks in advance. The PC my fiance obtained from Dong Nai. I'm not sure if they should be in the same form/format. Thanks My wife also obtained her PC, as well as its translation, at Dong Nai. I don't have access to scanner right now so I can't post the copy. Anyway, if your fiance's PC clearly states somewhere in that form as "PHI?U LÝ L?CH T? PHÁP" then it's the right one. so did you have a translation to English too? Let me ask my wife again, i dont want to spend $300 for no reason. I feel like they're just trying to make money here. If you have an access to a scaner and scan it, I really appreciate it. Thanks You don't have to translate any documents for your Fiancee's interview at HCMC. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-03 22:38:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Interview Process: What documents were asked before meeting with CO?	QUOTE (Rodney n. @ May 14 2008, 01:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> quick question. are they requiring translations now for documents submitted for interviews in HCMC? Rodney In February they weren't and I don't think they are now. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-14 01:27:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Interview Process: What documents were asked before meeting with CO?	Tyrobe Everything you have listed is in the Packet 4 letter we got but here's the extra items you may or may not need: DS156 electronic form filled out on the web (duplicate) DS156K one copy for each person applying, ie one each for mother and children. ID card (CMND) photocopy and original Evidence of legal termination of any previous marriages Quit claim for all children from their other parent giving permission for them to come to the US. Foreign Police Certificates for person 16 years old and older from any country in which you resided for more than 6 months. Court and Prison records if applicable Military records if applicable You may need the ID card with a CR1 but the instructions for DS156 & DS156K say they are for K visas so I don't know if you need those or not. The rest depend on your case, ie are there any children, etc. Good luck Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-13 01:15:00
Asia: East and Pacific	What do we need to keep?	We carried it on the plane with us so it wouldn't get damaged in case we needed to for POE or the USIC AOS process. Then I read in the FAQs here that it isn't needed..... You can give it to your doctor, throw it away or whatever you want to do with it according to the FAQs. We still have Thi's as we're not sure what we want to do with it yet. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26 Edited by PeterFB, 15 May 2008 - 01:58 PM.	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-15 13:57:00
Asia: East and Pacific	What do we need to keep?	James After our interview, we decided to delete everything that was a duplicate or more. We needed every bit of space for the flight back. Her family was trying to ship everything they thought we'd need for a year in the 4 pieces we could check and the 2 carry ons......So we kept the original I-129f papers, photos, etc, also all the original papers we got back from the interview. The logs of chats (both copies) were left in HCMC so I assume they threw them in the trash. The 2 photo sets for the interview and extra I-129f photos we left with her family for them to divide up since there's 4 brother and 4 sisters. A bonfire does seem like a nice touch..... Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-13 15:09:00
Asia: East and Pacific	HCMC May Interviews	Definitely!! Good luck to all the May Interviewes!! And to those of you lucky enough to go to Vietnam, Have a Great Trip! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-13 23:22:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Another Pink Slip	Cuong Congrats!! May the two of you enjoy your time in Vietnam and your new life in the US!! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-15 13:24:00
Asia: East and Pacific	One more day	QUOTE (violet18ac3 @ May 12 2008, 12:41 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Just got off the phone with my fiance. They ALREADY PREPARED a greenslip for her. (I'm not sure it's green or blue, she told me it's "xanh", wasn't sure which color it is). Anywho, the black woman was the one that interviewed my fiance. She asked typical questions, .........then handed out the green slip. The green slip asked for airline ticket stubs, timeline relationship from me, which my fiance already received from me a few days ago . I have EVERYTHING, and they didn't even bother to take a look. Man, I want to strangle those people just for that. This is insane. Sorry to hear about the blue (xanh) slip. Did you include your airline ticket stubs, timeline relationship with your I-129f or did she just take them to the interview? Your airline tickets stubs of your first meeting are very important to include in your I-129f. You should also include your timeline as well in the I-129f. If she had them for the interview, the Consulate Officer usually won't look at them from past experience I've seen here on VJ. Your fiance could have insisted on showing the CO the documents but sometimes they don't look at them if you give the documents to them. Did the CO ask if she had them? If the CO asks (which I think they should for any evidence they want to see at the interview), then she could have given them and got the pink slip. Like PhongLovesHa said, have her go to the Consulate ASAP and give them the required docs. Then you will get a pink slip. This is just a minor setback, you'll get the pink as soon as she gives them the docs. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-12 12:49:00
Asia: East and Pacific	One more day	We send you both our best wishes that you get a pink slip like James and Dave! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-10 22:11:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Question about notarizing the timeline for interview	QUOTE (WideAwakeInTheUSA @ May 14 2008, 04:20 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> My question is do the C.O's or the employees at HCMC know? 50 percent of this process makes no sense, so why would it surprise you that people think they need everything notarized? As sure as you don't do it they will ask for it (or something else) to be. Then the response is typically "They can't do that". Well evidently they can, because they just did. Better safe than sorry in my opinion. While it does seem they make it up as the go along. It appears that if you are required to submit additional evidence because you got a blue slip, then the Consulate may require the documents to be notarized. The reason for this, I think, is that HCMC has a lot of faud cases so they want to make sure the signature is the petitioner's and was done by the petitioner. If you submit the your case properly, you only have to notarize your I-134 form, nothing else (in the case of K1 visas, I don't know about others). In my case as many of the other VJs who have gotten pinks on the first try, there wasn't any need to notarize a timeline or other documents. Also I think it's most important that what you submit to USCIS is as airtight and perfect according to the instructions and guidelines here and at other visa sites. Most blue slips seem to be caused by not following or understanding the instructions and the HCMC Consulate mindset. Many people are afraid to ask the Consulate questions, don't be, as US Residents/Citizens they are working for us. They will answer your questions (even if it sometimes takes a few tries......) and if you use email, you will have a paper trail to use at the interview, if needed. In my emails with them, they have told me to keep all copies of emails in case they are needed so they do try to be fair and senseable.... Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-14 21:25:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Question about notarizing the timeline for interview	I think it's more of the Consulate Officer you get and whether or not they believe or understand your relationship developement. If I remember correctly, several people had to submit notarized timelines because the Consulate asked for a timeline (even in cases where they had already submitted a timeline) so there isn't any logic or standard rules, just how the Consulate feels about your case. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-10 22:09:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Question about notarizing the timeline for interview	QUOTE (Tyrobe @ May 8 2008, 09:13 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> For those that already went through the process, how did you notarize your timeline sheets, provided it's more than one page? Just the front page, last page or get the notarized stamp into each page? I'm going on a vacation to see my wife soon, and I'm planning to give her much of the documents in preparation for the interview this summer. Thanks in advance! Tyrobe The timelines I submitted weren't notarized and they didn't ask us to. I did notarized the I-134 per the instructions. The notary I used only notarized the I-134 (not the tax transcripts or other supporting docs in the I-134). He himself has gone thru this process and said he has done it many times for others going thru this process. The only thing he can notarize is your signature, not that the information is correct so once is enough per document according to him. (BTW I live in California so notary laws might differ from state to state). I would think you would sign the timeline in front of a notary at the end of the timeline and if that was 3 pages long, for example, he would place his stamp on the third page next to your signature. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26 Edited by PeterFB, 08 May 2008 - 09:30 PM.	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-08 21:27:00
Asia: East and Pacific	ATM machines in VIETNAM	On my three trips to Vietnam, I didn't use ATMs but they are all around HCMC. I did try to use one but because my Credit card wasn't set up with a PIN to withdraw money, I wasn't able to use it. I was going to get a cash advance from one of the many banks (funny most Vietnamese don't use banks.......) in HCMC. The clerk told me to use the ATM because the bank charges a service fee of 3% and only will give you VND which there is a exchange rate fee also so I would be better off using the ATM since the ATM would give me VND without the service fee and a better exchange rate. But as I said my credit card wasn't setup in the US before I left so it wasn't a quick option so I paid the extra fees and got my VND. Since any withdrawl from a credit card is a cash advance, your bank will charge you the cash advance fee on top of all the other fees. My advice is to bring as much cash as you feel comfortable with. I brought traveler checks and they also get a service fee, a smaller one than a credit card, when you cash them into VDN or Dollars. Also make sure you have your passport not a photocopy (as the State Department says to use for ID in Vietnam) as banks, most money exchanges won't accept any ID except your original passport when you cash traveler checks or get a cash advance on your credit card. Also most stores won't accept your credit card unless you have your original passport either. Restaurants aren't usually a problem with a credit card in my experience. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-17 02:50:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Question about scheduling medical exam before interview at HCMC	Tyrobe The Standard procedure for HCMC is to wait 4 weeks after the Packet 4 was sent before allowing your wife to pick up the Packet 4. However there has been times when they did allow it to be picked up before 4 weeks, the reason is usually the date of the interview. Since your interview is June 5th it's very likely they will let her pick it up since they like to give the interviewee time for the medical exams. Our Packet 4 letter said to get the vaccinations and medical exam done right away. Thi decided on IOM (you have to pay in USD only) since she thought it would be a cleaner place Cho Ray (you pay in VND ony). In either case, you have to make an appointment, have the letter, a passport photo and your passport/ID. In the case of the vaccinations, Thi brought her records but they didn't want to look at them. The woman said no, they aren't needed. That's not what our Packet 4 letter said.......They just gave her the shots she is suppose to have. In her case, she already had a couple of them....... No harm according to her US doctor, just a way to make money (you pay in VND BTW) for the Quarantine Service of HCMC.... Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-16 01:51:00
Asia: East and Pacific	mail in VN	Rodney It took 13 days for Thi to get her Packet 3....... She lives in HCMC about 4 miles from the Consulate......... If she can afford the time and cost of hand delivering her Packet 3 to HCMC Consulate, I would do it.......Since Thi lived in HCMC it wasn't a problem for her to but even if she didn't, she would have. To us it was that important because it would delay the process to mail it. The Consulate doesn't do anything until they get the Packet 3 in their hands. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26 Edited by PeterFB, 17 May 2008 - 02:56 AM.	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-17 02:55:00
Asia: East and Pacific	I don't have my x-ray film with me to POE	Our experience at LAX was that they didn't care about the Xray. They wanted the brown envelope visa, passport, I-194. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-18 11:36:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Viet Nam: Passport Photo Size	The Consulate instructions in our K1 Packet 4 letter said, standard passport size so I'm assuming they mean US standard passport size (2x2). That's what Thi got for her interview. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-19 12:30:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Viet Nam: Passport Photo Size	Thi's original passport photos were the same size. What I did was put them in Photoshop, made them bigger and printed them. The size wasn't perfect but very close, her shoulders didn't fill up the frame because the original was narrower of course. Apparently it worked, as USCIS accepted them. For her interview, we got the right size.... Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26 Edited by PeterFB, 18 May 2008 - 01:25 AM.	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-18 01:20:00
Asia: East and Pacific	DS-230	Rodney The DS-230 part one that you send back to the Consulate with your other documents from the Packet 3, don't require any photos for a K1 visa. You will need photos for the interview where you will also submit another DS230 (parts 1 and 2) as well as the rest of the documents the Packet 4 letter will instruct to submit. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-21 14:49:00
Asia: East and Pacific	wife going back to vietnam	If you mean she has her Advance Parole documents (two pages) when you say travel documents, passport with I-94, tickets and marriage license, then she should be ok. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-20 23:15:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Yah, pink slip after one week	Glad to hear everything worked out. Congratulations! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-25 01:01:00
Asia: East and Pacific	I-94 ?	QUOTE (visao @ May 23 2008, 07:32 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Applied for SS card today, the worker kept insisting that my fiancee needed the EAD in order to process the application. She went on to another co-worker and he told me the same answer, then another lady came by and said K1 doesn't need EAD to apply for SS #. Hope they know what they're doing and not turning ppl away with wrong info Anyway it's been processed and will arrive in ~ 2 wks. Sorry to hear the SSA office you went to was a problem. You don't need the EAD card to file for a SSN. Forunately, there was someone at the office who knows the correct procedure. Don't worry you'll get it and if you need the number right away, you should be able to call the office for the number in 3 or 4 business days for it. At least that's what they told us at the SSA office we went to for Thi's card. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-25 01:07:00
Asia: East and Pacific	I-94 ?	You can apply for your SSN as soon as you want. You need to take her passport which has her Alien number (which is also your HCMC case number) with the I-94 (you only need the copy stapled to the passport) and her birth certificate (you should bring a translated copy in case there's no one at the SS Adminstation office who speaks Vientnamese). You can fill out the form online or at the office. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-21 14:59:00
Asia: East and Pacific	failed interview... application being send back for final decision	Sorry to hear about your failed interview. Getting a lawyer's advice of what to do next is a good idea. You didn't give a lot of details about why the Consulate failed your fiance at his interview. I'm assuming you're refering to HCMC Consulate. If you are, the Consulate has some issues about your relationship as it was filed in your I-129f . Your fiance's interview at the Consulate didn't resolve them. Your phone interview further complicated things as did your email to him. However, the usual process when a case is sent back to the US is it goes to the USCIS, not that the Consulate reviews it in the US. The Consulate reviews your case before it sends it back to USCIS. Once the USCIS has it with the Consulate's report they decide whether or not the case approval they originally gave is now valid. The problem there is it can get "lost" or get "processed" for a long time. Another VJer, Dave_Thao, had their case sent back to the USCIS, they refiled their I-129f and recently got their visa. They origianlly filed in 2006 so it can take a long time. If you and your fiance do love each other, you will be together but it may take longer than 5 months even with a lawyer. What you should do next is, if the HCMC Consulate still has it, contact a lawyer, many people here have used Marc Ellis. His email is marcellislaw@gmail.com He can help you keep your case in HCMC Consulate if that's possible. He can also help you answer the Consulate's issues and hopfeully get you the visa. How long it will take depends on where your case is. That's why it's important to find out where it is and contact a lawyer asap. Also please fill out your profile and timeline so we know more about you and your journey. It helps us help you better and others will know more about how long it may take for their journey. Good Luck! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-21 14:43:00
Asia: East and Pacific	ds-230 and ds- 2001	QUOTE (Rodney n. @ May 26 2008, 12:25 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> it seems the forms are still valid , but i was going to have her send in ones off internet because she lives a ways away from HCMC. has number at bottom right corner of : DS-2001 notification of applicant readiness(pk3k) (03/2005) this an old one? rodney Rodney Usually forms are valid until they reach their expiration date. That date is usually in the top right hand corner. If there isn't a date then they are valid until the new one comes out. However, HCMC Consulate has used forms past their expiration date. To be safe, contact the Consulate about what version of the forms they will accept. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-26 00:55:00
Asia: East and Pacific	ds-230 and ds- 2001	QUOTE (Rodney n. @ May 26 2008, 12:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> just had a quick question. my fiancee wants to take a copy of her ds-230 and ds- 2001 to the embassy because she messed up on her form she got with packet 3, the one in vietnamese is the one she had , but i told her she could use ds-230 off the internet and ds-2001 i had a copy of. she spilt coffee or something on one she got so shes really upset. ds-2001 has date i think of 3/2005 . can we still use it? please help. rodney Rodney She can go the Consulate and get another DS230 and DS-2001. It shouldn't be a problem. I wouldn't use the one on the internet if it is newer than the one the Consulate sent her. The ones Thi got from the Consulate were older than the one on the internet so I had her fill out the ones the Consulate sent her. Otherwise she would have used the ones on the internet then printed them out. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-26 00:19:00
Asia: East and Pacific	DS 156	TQN The Consulate wants two copies of the DS156. They don't say that both have to be originals. The Online DS156 makes a new barcode each time you fill out the form. I don't know if the bar code is recorded to you or not. You might be able to go fill out another one then print out two copies. To be safe, I would make a very good copy of the one you have. Then I would contact the HCMC Consulate to ask them what to do. Can you fill out another DS156 online then print two copies or they will accept a copy of the one you have since you didn't print out two copies? If they say go online and do it again then do it. I think they'll say the copy is ok if it looks like the original. The HCMC site and the US State Department site doesn't answer your question from what I could find by searching their site. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-26 00:45:00
Asia: East and Pacific	case on its way to USCIS.. decide to get a lawyer in VN good or bad?	Any lawyer who is honest, won't tell you he can guarrantee anything. I have lawyers as clients and have talked to many over the years about different legal questions. None have ever guarranted results. Don't give your money to someone who is taking advantage of you. A good lawyer will tell you the truth even if it means he can't help you and/or it may make you mad or upset. He also won't take your money unless he feels confident that he can help you. Before Thi got her visa, she was sure I needed to hire a lawyer to "make sure" she got her visa. Most people she knows in Vietnam told her that unless I paid a lot of money to a deal fixer/lawyer, she wouldn't get her visa. I explained that no one can guarantee a visa and you don't pay money to bribe people in the US. It's not necessary and it's againist the law. You are dealing with the US Consulate, not the Vietnamese government or business. The people working at the Consulate are governed by US law. If they take a bribe, they will go to jail, get fined, lose their government job, etc. They can't bribe their way out of jail or the courts. So a lawyer/deal fixer can't do anything besides taking money for nothing. I told her that I would hire a lawyer if it was needed, ie we got a blue slip but I felt we'd get a visa without a lawyer. As it turned out we got our visa without any problems. Had we needed a lawyer, I would have called Marc Ellis. If the consulate has already sent your case back to the US, there's nothing a lawyer in Vietnam can do now. In fact there's little any lawyer can do. It's now a matter of waiting to see what the USCIS says about the case. Once they have decided, then a lawyer or you will know what course of action to take. A K3/CR1 visas all have the same burden of proof of relationship as the K1 visa. Being married doesn't mean a visa is automatic. Many cases of visa fraud involve people who got married thinking that would fool the Consulate. You need to rebuild your case from the "ground up" making sure the Consulate will see your relationship as it really is. You may not need a lawyer to do that and it will take more time. Sorry that you have these problems but you will be together if you persist. Don't give up. And throw your money away! Good Luck! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-23 00:46:00
Asia: East and Pacific	What about study in U.S. VISA - does anyone know about this?	As the others have said, the route you are suggesting is considered Visa fraud. The best thing is to file K1, then go to school. Getting a student visa isn't easier/ Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-30 19:33:00
Asia: East and Pacific	To KISS and tell ... or NOT???	The number of pictures is related to telling your story. In a K1 visa, the HCMC Consulate has the most time to review your I-129f, not the evidence brought to the interveiw. Also it appears that many times the Consulate has already decided the outcome. It's my opinion that's because of the I-129f evidence of meeting and proof relationship plus dealling with any possible red flags in the I-129f. Leaving loose ends makes the Consulate ask questions, request more info that lead to a blue slip. We submitted 15 pictures to support #18 Having meet in person and another 12 pictures supporting our ongoing relationship. We included a few pictures of us sightseeing around HCMC, visiting with her family, going to a couple of restuarants with her family to celebrate before and after our engagement party, our engagement party (6 pictures) and seeing me off at the HCMC airport. None of our pictures included us kissing. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Married 2008-4-06	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-06-01 22:07:00
Asia: East and Pacific	HCMC- June intreviews- Post'em.	QUOTE (mimhnhut @ May 19 2008, 09:52 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> QUOTE (dq2000 @ May 19 2008, 09:27 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ours in June 9! I'll do up my timeline and put together a list of what I sent as well as what questions Quyen gets asked in the interview. This place has been so unbelievably helpful I just want to give back. For us, this process has been fairly easy, but now that we're down to the last few bits, it's getting a bit crazy. I've been searching and reading, but I can't find a concrete answer to this question: If my finance wants to speak viet in the interview, is that ok? She speaks English well enough (and i speak no viet), but she isn't confident and it's stressing her out. Any opinions on this? Your fiance'd better speak English in the interview , that's easy to get pink slip. If she speak Vietnamese in the interview, the CO may ask her: What everyday language do you communicate..... If the Consulate website is to be believed, speaking Vietnamese at CR1/IR1 or K visa interview isn't a problem. We had a K1 interview, there was a Vietnamese translator there who translated the questions whether Thi want him to or not. So she didn't have a problem understanding the questions. She did answer every question in English, not Vietnamese. Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-19 22:33:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Good news! Good news!	If we had to do it over again, that's what we should have done. We had 3 suitcases and 1 box. We had to leave many things in Vietnam that her family wanted to have us bring to the US because of not enough room. Glad to hear you got the missing box!!! Good luck on your new life together!!! You've been thru a lot!! The rest of the way should be easy!! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-06-02 00:35:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Good news! Good news!	That's great news and about time!!!! They are a couple who proves that love conquers HCMC Consulate!!! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-27 14:13:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Ho Chi Minh Embassy: do they interview the sponsoring spouse?	QUOTE (2x2y2z @ Jun 1 2008, 06:07 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> I'm sort of trying to catch up with all the information that I need to prepare. Anyway, as a sponsoring spouse, should I expect the embassy to call me and interview me by phone? Also, I know they don't admit the sponsoring spouse at the interview in Ho Chi Minh City, but does it matter if one is there in person (help or hurt the interview)? Lastly, many folks on here do not seem to have a long wait once the paperwork reaches Vietnam. My impression this whole time was that it takes forever for Ho Chi Minh City to get to one's file. What's been the average time from when the case is completed at the NVC and when the interview takes place? Thanks! As a rule, the HCMC Consulate doesn't interview the sponor. There are times when they have interviewed over the phone and in person. The reason for that is usually because of suspected visa fraud. Being there in person doesn't help the interview at all. They are only concerned with the supporting evidence and the answers given at the interview. However being there does mean if there's any problems you have the chance of dealing with it immediately if you have the evidence, etc they are requesting. Myself, I think it helps your fiance(e)/spouse's confidence if you are there. I was there for Thi's and noticed that most go the interview alone.... As to how long? Check the timelines of other current CR1/IR1 VJers going thru HCMC Consulate. Good Luck! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Married 2008-4-06 Edited by PeterFB, 01 June 2008 - 09:50 PM.	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-06-01 21:49:00
Asia: East and Pacific	Officially Married!	Congratulations!! Peter and Thi I-129F Sent : 2007-05-26 I-129F NOA1 : 2007-06-11 I-129F RFE(s) : RFE Reply(s) : I-129F NOA2 : 2007-10-26 Touched: 2007-11-02 NVC Recieved: 2007-11-16 Consulate recieved ?????? Packet 3 sent 2007-12-11 Packet 3 received 2007-12-24 Packet 3 returned 2007-12-28 Packet 4 sent 2008-1-14 Email Reply with Interview Date 2008-1-23 Interview Date 2008-2-27 Passed Interview 2008-02-27 Visa Pick Up Date 2008-3-05 Received Visa 2008-2-29 (called to pick up earlier) POE 2008-3-05 Los Angeles Wedding 2008-4-26	PeterFB	Male	Vietnam	2008-05-30 19:30:00